Green Eyes, Silver Trim
by ChaosWorld
Summary: -I am currently in the process of rewriting this story-
1. Intro

Harry Potter was not a normal boy.

He was strange, and he could do strange things. Odd things happened around him, things that was certain that were caused by him somehow. Who else could be doing it? Certainly no one around him cared enough to protect him like this.

That was the other way he was unusual. He was incredibly cunning for a boy of his age. Most ten year olds couldn't match his reasoning, quick thinking, or resourcefulness if their lives depended on it. Of course, he had more practice than them. His life _did_ depend on it.

Harry was a master of deception and manipulation. He knew just the right level of confidence to show (or fake) to make a lie believable, and exactly how detailed to make his excuses. He knew when to threaten his cousin with his "unnaturalness" (his relatives were also sure he was the cause), and when to back down and take a beating. Each step, each word, each move was carefully calculated to minimize the punishment he would receive. If he could only control his strangeness, he would be safe.

For it was Harry Potter's greatest wish to be safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Content warning for physical abuse in this chapter**

* * *

One summer's day, Harry was ordered by his uncle to get the post. This was not unusual. He was used to being ordered around, and he knew that compliance was the safest route. Therefore, he abandoned his breakfast without hesitation.

Harry was in for a surprise, however. For the first time in his life, there was an envelope addressed to _him_! Thinking quickly, he tucked the envelope under the waistband of his jeans. The Dursleys would surely take it from him if they saw it. He then brought the rest of the post to his waiting uncle, handing it to him without making eye contact. Never show a trace of defiance to Vernon Dursley.

All would have gone well, save for one problem. As he turned to return to the cupboard under the stairs that he slept in (his cousin Dudley had stolen the remains of his breakfast), the envelope addressed to him slipped from the waist of his oversized jeans and fell to the floor, right at his uncle's feet.

Harry froze at the sound. Running away from the confrontation would only make it worse later.

"What's this, boy?" Uncle Vernon said in a quiet, dangerous voice.

"I don't know, but it's addressed to me." Harry replied, turning to face his uncle, but not meeting his eyes. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw Uncle Vernon pick up the envelope and read it, his face turning purple. That was a bad sign.

"PETUNIA, SEE THIS!" Uncle Vernon called to Harry's aunt. White faced, hands trembling, Aunt Petunia left her breakfast to look at the envelope over his shoulder. She gasped and fainted when she saw it. Uncle Vernon rounded on Harry.

"YOU ARE AN UNNATURAL CREATURE! YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN!" He roared. And with that, he swung his arm and slapped Harry hard across the face. Stars, falling to the floor, and then nothing.

Not to say that he passed out, or that the beating was over. Harry simply floated away into a place far away from the kicks and slaps that his small, ten-year-old body was now being pummelled with. Separate from all that, he found himself able to process what had just happened. His uncle had mentioned his "unnaturalness", and had begun beating him, right after seeing the envelope. This was the first time he'd been beaten for anything other than an unnatural occurrence. The letter, therefore, surely had something to with his unnaturalness. This raised more questions than it answered. How did the letter sender know? His family did a good job explaining away the strange things that happened around him. The only way they could be sure was if... no, there couldn't be others like him. But there must be. Was there an explanation for the things he'd been beaten for since he was five?

Harry could not muse any longer, as he was coming back to reality. It was his sense of touch that returned first. He could now feel the cold hard floor under his aching body, which effectively distracted his train of thought. Next, he heard. Uncle Vernon was yelling at him to get up. As he did, the dining room came into focus, and he became aware of a pain in his head. He felt dizzy, but he didn't show it.

"Into your cupboard." Uncle Vernon hissed. The vein in his temple was pulsing, and it looked as though he was barely containing himself. Harry didn't hesitate, but he didn't rush either. Not that he could have, in his current state. Once in his cupboard, lying on his bed, he heard his uncle go out to the garage. When the heavy footsteps returned, they stopped right in front of the door. This was followed by a pounding sound, and another one, and another. With a sick feeling, Harry realized that he was nailing the cupboard shut.

"You'll come out of there whenever I see fit." He growled menacingly.

With nothing to do, Harry slept his bruises away.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry did not leave his cupboard for a long time. He was beginning to wonder if his uncle was trying to starve him to death. He listened to his relatives go about their daily business as though nothing was wrong, and soon lost track of what time it was. He was getting to the point of painful thirst when there was a loud, booming knock on the door.

"WHO'S THERE!" Uncle Vernon demanded.

"OPEN THE DOOR! I'M HERE TO SEE HARRY POTTER!"

Harry was stunned to hear this, but before he could process this development, his uncle interrupted his thoughts.

"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" He yelled. "I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

"I KNOW RUDDY WELL THAT HE LIVE HERE YA GREAT MUGGLE! OPEN THE DOOR! I KNOW YA HAVEN'T BEEN LETTIN' HIM GET HIS LETTERS!"

Aunt Petunia gasped. Uncle Vernon, however, was still determined to keep the man outside away.

"LEAVE RIGHT NOW OR I'M CALLING THE POLICE!" He roared.

But right as he finished the sentence, there was a bang, and the door swung open, the hinges creaking dangerously.

"Now, where's Harry Potter?" The intruder growled threateningly.

Harry weighed his options. This was not the sort of man he wanted to cross. He must be incredibly strong. But he was the letter sender. He must have answers.

Taking a risk for the first time in his life, he yelled "I'm in here!"

The man came around to the cupboard entrance, and began yelling curses at Uncle Vernon. A moment later, there was another bang, Aunt Petunia shrieked, and the cupboard door opened, pulling out the nails.

"Come out now, Harry." The man said in a kind, gentle voice.

Harry froze. No one had ever spoken to him _kindly_ before.

"It's alright Harry, I'm here to help. Blimey, it's been a long time since I've seen you.

Curiosity drew Harry out more than the man's reassurances. Who could this man be?

Harry gasped at the sight of the man. He was extremely tall, and very broad and muscular. At the sight of Harry's bruised face, the man let loose another torrent of curses against Uncle Vernon. Finally free, Harry could see his aunt's and uncle's reactions to what was happening. Petunia was trembling and white as a sheet. Vernon was somehow simultaneously both pale and purple in the face, the vein in his temple threatening but not yet dangerous.

"Anyways, Harry, here's yer letter." The man handed him an envelope identical to the one that had got him in so much trouble. "They can't stop ya readin' it now."

Hands shaking, Harry took it and tore it open.

* * *

All of his questions were answered at last. The Man's name was Hagrid. After giving him some water and a _birthday cake_ (it had been three days since the letter), Harry learned everything that had been kept from him since his parent's deaths, which were MURDERS, not a car accident as he'd been told. He was a wizard. The strange things that happened around him were accidental magic. There were many like him, and there was a school for people like him! He would be going there in September! It all seemed so impossible. It must be a dream. Maybe a daydream. A hallucination of his dehydrated mind?

His thoughts were interrupted by Hagrid. "Now, you wasn't supposed to come with me Harry, you was supposed to stay here 'till September. But, givin' the circumstances- " He shot a glare at Harry's aunt and uncle. "-I'll be sendin' an owl to Professer Dumbledore to see what can be done." He then drew a small owl from his coat pocket, scribbled down a note, gave it to the owl, and tossed it out the open window. "Come on now, Harry. We'll me meetin' Professor Dumbledore in London."

* * *

Harry found himself with Hagrid in a pub called _The Leaky Cauldron._ Soon, they were joined by a man with long white hair and beard. This was evidently Professor Dumbledore. He looked appalled at Hagrid's description of Harry's treatment. At the end, he said, "Very well. Harry can stay here until term begins, and by the beginning of summer break I shall find him a wizarding home to take him in.


	4. Chapter 4

It was arranged for Harry to rent a room at _The Leaky Cauldron_ until the start of term, with Hagrid checking in on him occasionally. Hagrid took him to a wall and tapped a brick, causing it to open into Diagon ally. Then, they went to his vault at the bank, Gringot's (how did he have so much money?), and helped him buy his school supplies and robes. Harry then had the rest of the summer to explore the many shops, with the only downside being that many of the witches and wizards stared at him as he passed. Hagrid had explained that Harry was famous for causing the downfall of the dark wizard who had killed his parents. He'd only been one at the time, but that didn't stop everyone thinking him a hero.

Finally, September came. Hagrid brought him and his things to King's Cross station, and told him that he nodded to board the train by eleven o'clock.

"But what platform am I supposed to go to?" Harry asked.

"Platform nine an' three quarters." Hagrid replied.

"And… where exactly is that supposed to be?"

"Between nine an' ten, isn't it?"

"But how do I get onto it?"

"Jus' walk through the barrier between platforms nine an' ten. Easy as that."

Harry found a trolley for his trunk, and set off for the platform. Finally, he found it, just in time to see two identical redheads disappear through the barrier. A younger red haired boy was preparing to follow, and a girl was clinging to a plump woman. The group noticed him staring.

"Are you going to Hogwarts?" The woman asked kindly.

Harry just nodded.

"Wonderful! This here is Ron-" She pointed at the boy preparing to cross the barrier. "-This is his first year. Is it yours too?"

Again he only nodded. These people seemed kind, but they were unknown variables. He couldn't know what they were really like.

"Why don't go across with him? He's done it a million times with his brothers, he can help you."

Harry gave no response, and she took that as acceptance. Harry couldn't see why not to go with Ron, so he did.

Once on the platform, Ron turned to him and said, "By the way, what's your name?"

"Harry Potter." He replied, listlessly.

Ron gaped at him "You're pulling my leg. No way."

 _I should have expected that,_ Harry mentally cursed himself. He'd be more careful next time. "No, I really am Harry Potter. I have the scar. People have been all over me in Diagon Ally for the past month, so please give me a break."

Ron turned as red as his hair. "Sorry mate," He apologized, "I didn't think..."

"It's fine." Harry mumbled. Attention made him very uncomfortable, and everyone in the wizarding world wanted to give it to him.

* * *

Once settled into a compartment, Harry decided that he should make use of the train ride to learn as much about Hogwarts as he could from Ron. He carefully masked his eagerness as mild curiosity and prepared to wheedle as much information out as possible, but it unnecessary as Ron was just as eager to share as he was to learn. Still, Harry kept up the image. There was no reason for Ron to know any more than was absolutely necessary.

About noon, a woman with a trolley full of sweets came bye and asked them if they wanted anything. Ron turned red and mumbled something about not having money for food, pulling a sandwich from his pocket, and Harry felt something he'd never felt before: sympathy. He wrestled with the feeling for a moment. _Why should it matter to you?_ He thought. _It's not like he's starving or anything._ In the end, the feeling won out.

"Excuse me," He said to the trolley woman, "Can I get some of everything?"

Ron stared at him as he paid for a massive pile of sweets and brought them into the compartment. His eyes went wide when Harry offered to share with him. Ron wolfed down three pumpkin pasties and half a box of cauldron cakes before launching into a detailed explanation of every sweet in the pile. It was at this point that Harry concluded that Ron would make a very useful acquaintance in the magical world.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the ride almost went smoothly, but a pale blond boy named Draco Malfoy intruded on them mid afternoon.

"Well if isn't Harry Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy." He held out his hand.

Harry shook it skeptically. Something about this boy gave him a bad feeling. "What do you want?" Harry asked.

"I want to help you. I heard you were brought up by muggles, and you might need some catching up because of that."

"And why do you think you can do that any better then him?" Harry jerked his head towards Ron.

Draco sneered. "Blood traitors and muggle lovers like him are of no use to you. I can connect you with influential people. People who actually _matter_."

Harry's suspicions were confirmed. He wasn't sure about Ron yet, but Draco was definitely the wrong sort. Of course, it would be foolish to write him off entirely. He would never be anywhere close to a _friend_ , but he could still be useful.

Harry pretended to be seriously tempted by the offer. "Oh, I don't know. I think I'll be okay. I'll remember you if I need anything, though. You seem a helpful sort."

Draco seemed pleased with the impression he had made. "Alright then. See you around." He left the compartment.

Not wanting Ron to think he agreed with Malfoy and his insults, Harry betrayed his true opinion of the boy to Ron. He scowled. "Prat." He muttered. "Who does he think he is?"

Ron was staring at him, wide-eyed.

"What?" Harry asked.

"That was kinda scary, mate." He replied.

"What was?"

"The way you just handled Malfoy. He thinks he made a good impression, but..." Ron trailed off.

"I actually think he's a conceited, bigoted git?"

"Yeah, that."

Harry shrugged. "Get used to it."

* * *

A long last, they reached Hogwarts. The first years were lined up at the front, facing the four house tables. Above them, the Enchanted ceiling glittered with thousands of stars. A stern looking woman placed a very worn out hat upon a stool, and instructed the first years to sit on the stool and put on the hat when their name was called. As they put on the hat, it would shout out the name of one of the houses, and the student would join that table. Finally, Malfoy went to be sorted.

He put the hat on. Immediately, he heard a whisper in his ear.

 _Slytherin? I don't think so._

 _But that's were I belong._ He replied. _That's where my friends are._

 _Are they really your friends?_

 _YES_

 _Then surely it won't bother them if you're in a different house. Sure, you would fit in there, but it wouldn't challenge you. Slytherin might be what you want, but what you need is-_

"-GRIFFINDOR!"

Draco looked shocked beyond belief as he walked to the Griffindor table. A few minutes later, Harry went to be sorted. This he paid close attention to, as did all the other students.

When the brim of the hat fell over Harry's eyes, he heard a soft voice in his ear.

 _There's only one place to put you._

 _It had better not be Slytherin,_ Harry thought.

 _You falsely believe it to be a house of evil. Perhaps, sometimes it is. It is only evil, however, if those who belong to it make it so. For you, it will be a place of healing. The way you are now, you would not make friends in another house. Perhaps, in another life, you would be a natural Griffindor, and I believe that Slytherin will help you grow into one. You will do great things one day, and the only house that will get you there is-_

"SLYTHERIN!"

A strange conglomeration of sounds filled the Great Hall. Both cheers and boos from the Slytherin table, and shocked cries from the other three. Whispers and mutters came from all four tables. After a moment, Professor McGonagall called for silence, and the sorting resumed.

Near the end, Ron finally went to be sorted. Almost the moment the hat touched his head, it called out "GRIFFINDOR!" A few more students were sorted, and the beginning of term feast began.

There was an incredible selection of delicious food available, far more than the Dursleys would have allowed him, and afterwards a dazzling array of desserts. When everyone had eaten their fill, the food vanished, and the students went to their dormitories.

Harry went with his fellow Slytherins down to the dungeons. An older boy at the front of the group stopped in front of a part of wall that looked no different then the rest, and said, "The new password is 'Salazar'." As he said it, an opening appeared in the wall in front of him, and the Slytherins filed into the room beyond it.

This was the Slytherin common room. It had an eerie look about it due to the greenish light coming through the window, which was looking out over- no, _into -_ the lake. Ominous shapes moved just out of sight through the murky water. Harry looked away and followed the boys through a door to the left, which led to a wide corridor with the doors on each side and one at the end.

"First years there." The boy who had given the password called, pointing to the door at the end. Harry and three other boys obediently went to the door at the end.

Inside, there were four four-poster beds, one in each corner of the room. Each one had a trunk on it. Harry saw his own a trunk on the bed in the back left corner. In the centre of the back wall was another window into the lake. This window let in less light then the other, as the moon was not shining in through it. Harry heaved his trunk off his bed, changed into his pyjamas, got into bed, pulled the hangings around him, and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know, this is a short chapter, particularly compared to the one before.**

 **Feel free to leave any questions, suggestions, and predictions in the reviews.**

* * *

The next day, Harry awoke bathed in soft green light. Being in the dungeons, the air was slightly chilly on his face. His body, however, was pleasantly warm under the soft, heavy blankets. He sat up and pulled the hangings away, squinting in the dancing green light that flowed in through the window. He could get used to this.

"Rise and shine, Potter," Said the boy in bed across the room from him, "You don't want to miss breakfast."

"Uhh," Harry replied, "I don't think we've met."

"My name is Theodore Nott. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Theodore walked across the room and extended his hand to him. Harry shook it. Something about the normalcy of Nott's first words to him relaxed Harry. No amazement like Ron. No attempts to teach him pureblood ideology like Malfoy. Just the desire to meet his roommate.

Harry decided to take Nott's advice and get ready for breakfast. Starting classes on an empty stomach would do him no good. He dressed quickly and followed Nott into the common room, where a group of girls _giggled_ at him as he passed. He glanced at them over his shoulder as he left, and he saw them whispering excitedly behind their hands. Harry's stomach clenched.

Nott must have seen his expression because he looked over at the girls and said to Harry, "Don't worry about them. Give it a week and they won't give you a second glance."

The two boys made their way to the Great Hall and found seats at the Slytherin table. Harry stared wide-eyed at the mounds of food, before loading his plate with everything in reach.

Nott chuckled. "Hungry, mate?"

"I-" Harry cursed himself. Nott didn't need to know about his life at the Dursleys. "-yes."

They ate in silence until a man with long, greasy black hair came to them with their timetables. Since they were first years in the same house, they had identical schedules. That day, they had transfiguration, herbology, charms, and potions. Nott told Harry that the man who had given them their timetables was the Slytherin head of house, and the potions teacher. The pair finished their breakfast, then returned to their dormitory to collect the supplies they would need.

Harry filled his bag with his textbooks, quills, ink, and parchment before picking up the object he now treasured more than anything else: His wand. He had not yet attempted any spells, but he clearly remembered the wandmaker's words about it:

 _"Acacia, 10 and 3/4 inches, Phoenix feather core, pliable. Contains powerful yet subtle magic. Very few your age would be a match for such a wand. Stranger still, that this wand should choose you when it's core is the twin of the one that gave you that scar..."_

Harry stowed his wand in his robe pocket. He would see how powerful it was in class.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I had originally planned to make this chapter longer, but I think the first potions lesson deserves a chapter of its own.**

* * *

Harry and Theodore went to transfiguration, which was taught by Professor McGonnigal, head of Griffindor house. They arrived early, and Harry took the opportunity to look at the transfiguration textbook. He carefully studied the diagrams of wand movements and the precise pronunciation of the incantations used in the subject. He quickly memorized them and moved on to the theory portion, which was much more complex. Transfiguration, it seemed, required a great deal of concentration.

Finally, it was time for class to start. Professor McGonnigal explained the basic theory behind transfiguration, demonstrated the wand movement and incantation, and gave them each a matchstick. She instructed them to turn it into a needle.

Harry took his wand out. Pointing it at his match, he conjured a mental image of a needle and performed the spell. Instantly, his match became very sharp and silvery.

"Everyone see this! Potter's done it on his first try!" Professor McGonnigal cried jubilantly.

Heads turned as Professor McGonnigal strode to Harry and Theodore's table. She held up Harry's needle for the class to see, and examined it more closely herself.

"Potter, this is excellent work. It takes most students many attempts before their first successful transfiguration. Twenty points to Slytherin."

Harry froze. All around the room, everyone was staring at him. He bent over his textbook, and slowly the class returned their attention to their own matches.

As he stared unseeing at the pages before him, he heard a voice above him and jumped.

"Potter? Let's see if you can transfigure these beetles into buttons. I think you need something more challenging." It was Professor McGonnigal, offering him a tin of beetles, confusedly scuttling over each other. Harry took it and started the more challenging task.

* * *

Harry had successfully altered the shape of one of his beetles, but not quite turned it into a button. Professor McGonnigal was still pleased with his progress, however, and had given everyone in the class theory homework except him. Herbology had been uneventful, and during lunch Harry ate quickly, retreating to his dormitory to find the things he'd need for his next two classes. Theodore followed shortly after.

"What was with you in transfiguration? You nearly fell off your seat when McGonnigal brought you those beetles." Theodore asked Harry once he'd caught up with him.

"What? Oh, um, I was just startled. I didn't realize she was there." Harry said distractedly. Theodore had an unnerving knack for noticing Harry's odd reactions.

"And why did you leave lunch so early? There's plenty of time until charms. Why not slow down and enjoy the food? Is there something wrong?"

"I just wanted to get my things ready so I wouldn't miss anything." Harry replied.

Theodore raised his eyebrows. He wasn't buying it.

"What does it matter to you anyways?" Harry asked.

"I just- well, um, I wondered if... if..." Theodore clearly hadn't been prepared for that question.

"Wondered what?" Harry pressed.

"Nothing, nevermind."

Harry doubted it was nothing, and he did mind quite a bit.

* * *

Harry performed well in charms, but not outstandingly enough to draw attention, which he was grateful for. He was fairly relaxed when he first arrived to potions class. He would never arrive in that state again.


	8. Chapter 8

In potions, Harry and Theodore took the seats closest to the door. Ron and a round-faced boy Harry didn't recognize took the table in front of them. Harry introduced Theodore to Ron, and Ron introduced Harry and Theodore to the boy with him, whose name was Neville. They made polite conversation about their previous classes, though Ron seemed much more restrained and reserved than he had on the train. Harry wasn't surprised by this. They were still getting along quite a bit better than Griffindors and Slytherins usually did.

Professor Snape entered the room, robes billowing behind him. Silence fell as he strode to the front.

Professor Snape gave a long-winded speech, and Harry paid close attention, not to what Professor Snape was saying, but rather how he was saying it. It was clear that Professor Snape did not take his subject lightly, and had high standards for the quality of work he expected of his students. This was not a class to fool around in.

Professor Snape then instructed them to make the potion in page seven of their textbooks, and took to pacing the room, carefully inspecting the student's work.

* * *

Professor Snape paced the room, glaring at anyone whose work was substandard- unless they were in Slytherin, of course. As he turned to cross back to the other side of the room, he saw something that made his stomach lurch.

There, sitting in the corner next to the door, carefully adding ingredients to a boiling cauldron, was James Potter. Hate and fear rose up in Snape, and his hands shook.

Next moment, James looked up at Snape and stared at him, not with hazel eyes, but green eyes. Lily's eyes. Snape's anger doubled, yet he also felt… he didn't know. He couldn't name the feeling that mingled conflictingly with his anger. He crossed the room to inspect Harry's work, hoping to find something wrong with it to justify his anger. He could not, so he simply scowled at the boy and continued pacing.

* * *

Harry watched Professor Snape carefully while working on his potion. He had a feeling that he'd be the teacher he had the most trouble with. This was confirmed when he came to inspect Harry's work, and scowled at him despite finding nothing wrong.

Harry looked up from his potion to glance at Professor Snape again, but something else caught his eye.

"Neville! Stop!" Harry said urgently.

"What? Is something wrong?" Neville asked, looking worried.

"Yes! You need to turn off the flames before adding the porcupine quills or the potion will melt your cauldron and get all over the place!" Harry replied.

"Oh no! I forgot!" Neville hastily put out the fire under his cauldron.

This exchange did not go unnoticed. Seconds later, Professor Snape was standing over Neville's cauldron, sneering viciously.

"Well, there doesn't _seem_ to be anything wrong with it, but I suppose that's only because of Potter here. Ten points from Griffindor for your carelessness, Longbottom." Professor Snape turned to Harry. "And as for _you_ , Mr Potter, was saving the wizarding world not enough for you? Now you have to save your classmates' schoolwork to? For shame, I never thought the Boy Who Lived would stoop so low."

Harry's face turned red in spite of himself. When Professor Snape was out of earshot, he looked at Neville and muttered "Sorry."

Ron turned to face him. "It's not your fault, mate. According to the textbook, it would've been pretty nasty if that potion had got on Neville. Snape hates Griffindors, so he would've found an excuse to take points off anyway."

Harry felt miserable for the rest of class nonetheless. He finished his potion without any mistakes, and was glad to leave class.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry continued to excel in transfiguration, and found herbology relaxing. He got by in history of magic, which could've been interesting with a different teacher. Astronomy was a pain, as it interrupted his sleep. Defense against the Dark arts was intriguing. In charms, he quickly mastered each new spell, but potions was a waking nightmare. His potion making skills were fine, but Professor Snape was unpredictable. And that, Harry knew, made him dangerous.

Most days, he would be cruel to Harry, ignoring the Griffindors in favour of taunting him. The rest of the time, he showed favouritism towards Harry, praising his work and criticizing the Griffindors'. Harry arrived at his potions class tense, watching Professor Snape carefully to see which kind of day it would be.

After one particularly brutal class, he left not paying attention to where he was going, and found himself in an unfamiliar part of the castle. He turned around and around, unsure which way to go, until he saw a gleam of light through a crack in the door of an unused classroom. He looked both ways down the corridor, and sure he was unseen, entered the classroom.

The gleam of light was coming from an old mirror. Harry walked up to it and stood in front of it.

The mirror did not show his reflection.

Well, it did, but that wasn't all it showed. Harry saw himself inside a house. The walls were a dark red-brown, and the furniture was in soft, earthy tones. There was a roaring fire in the grate. Rain pounded against the window, which looked out to a forest. There was a bookshelf in the corner. Looking upon the scene, Harry felt totally at peace.

"Harry?"

Harry jumped as Theodore walked into the room.

"Come on, mate. Don't want to miss supper."

* * *

That evening, Harry and Theodore returned to their dormitory to find a small box on Harry's bed. Harry opened it cautiously. Inside he found a note in unfamiliar writing, saying that what was in the box had belonged to Harry's father. Curious, Harry drew something smooth and silvery from the box. Theodore gasped.

"What?" Harry asked.

"That's an invisibility cloak. Who gave it to you?" Theodore asked in an awestruck voice.

"No idea," Harry replied, "but it used to be my dad's." Harry paused. "Did you say 'invisibility cloak'?"

"Yes I did, try it on!" Theodore seemed to be barely containing his excitement.

Harry obliged, pulling the cloak around his shoulders. He looked down to see... the floor. His body was gone. He could still feel himself, but he was hidden from sight. He pulled the cloak over his head and disappeared entirely.

"What are you going to do with it?" Theodore whispered.

"I don't know." Harry lied, pulling the cloak off himself and stashing it away.

* * *

At midnight, Harry pulled the cloak around himself, quietly crept into the common room, and slipped out into the dungeon corridor. He retraced his earlier steps until he found the room with the mirror. Despite his cloak, the mirror reflected him. He sat down in front of it, and his reflection took a seat on a chair in front of the fireplace.

Harry did not know how long he sat there and stared before he heard a voice behind him and jumped. The cloak slipped off of him.

"I see you have discovered the mirror of Erised, Harry."

Harry turned to see the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. He was smiling. That could not be good. Harry had just been caught out of bed after hours, by the headmaster no less.

"This mirror, as you may have gathered, shows the viewer their heart's desire. I must warn you however, many have wasted away before this mirror, content to see what they desire laid out before them without attempting to make it reality." The headmaster said.

Harry stared blankly at him. He smiled again and continued.

"Now, Harry, this mirror will be moved to a new home in the morning, and I would not recommend trying to find it. Off to bed, or a shall have to give you a detention. It's four in the morning, and you need sleep."

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He donned his cloak and returned to his dormitory.


	10. Chapter 10: The Musings of Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy was not having a good time. The Slytherins hated him for being a Griffindor, and the Griffindors hated him for being a Malfoy. Worst of all, his father had wanted to disown him. He'd only backed down from the idea when Draco's mother had threatened to divorce him if he did. She was the only person who cared about him.

Draco kept to himself as much as he could, and his fellow Griffindors let him be, not disliking him enough to seek him out and torment him. He wished the same could be said for the Slytherins in his year. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkenson abused him relentlessly. The sorting hat was right. They were not really his friends.

The constant solitude allowed Draco to reflect on his position. He'd been labeled a blood traitor simply for being sorted into Griffindor. He'd tried, at first, to win back the approval of his former friends by saying that his sorting had been a mistake, that his father would fix it, that he hated mudbloods just as much as they did. They only laughed at the desperate tone in his voice.

The Griffindors, on the other hand, despite disliking him, were quietly looking out for him. When he wandered the corridors alone musing, he never saw them, but if his former friends found him, a half dozen young Griffindors would appear with their wands out within seconds. It was always the same ones: The Weasley twins and their friend Lee Jordan, their younger brother Ron, Neville Longbottom, and to his horror, the mudblood Hermione Granger. Outnumbered two to one, and against third years as well as first, Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkenson would retreat, scowling, and the watchful Griffindors would lead Draco back to Griffindor tower, where he would sulk in the corner of the common room.

This, along with his father's attempt to disown him, led Draco to question the beliefs that he'd been taught since he was old enough to repeat what his parents told him. Did his pure blood truly make him any better than his peers? It certainly didn't seem so. Meanwhile Granger was top in every class except potions, which was not to say she she couldn't brew them. Professor Snape hated Griffindors, and their grades suffered accordingly. Pansy Parkenson was top of potions class.

Pansey. Just the name was enough to make his blood boil. Their parents had betrothed them when they were two, only for betrothals to be banned a year later. Still, their friendship had been strongly encouraged, and it had been expected that they would eventually marry by their own choice. So much for that.

Draco came to his decision. He could not pretend that mud-muggleborns were somehow inferior. He could not pretend that pure blood really mattered. He could not pretend that he belonged in Slytherin.

His father thought a son in Griffindor brought dishonour on the name of Malfoy? Draco would show him _real_ dishonour.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry's first flying lesson was far more entertaining than he had expected. Not only was the sensation of flying wonderful, but an interesting scene unfolded partway through.

Neville, a nervous Gryffindor boy, had accidentally flown up into the air early, then fallen painfully to the ground. The flying instructor had ordered them all to stay on the ground while she took the boy to the hospital wing. The interesting part came soon after.

"Ooh, look what Longbottom dropped." Pansy Parkenson picked a glass sphere up off the ground, sneering. Theodore told Harry what it was at his look of confusion. It was a remembrall, an object that informed the user if they've forgotten something. What came next was completely unexpected.

"Give it to me, _Pansy_." It was Draco Malfoy, and he had thrown as much contempt behind the name as he could muster. Several Griffindors, including Ron and a dark girl with bushy brown hair, looked utterly shocked.

"Back to trying to prove you're a Slytherin, _Malfoy_ , if that's even your name anymore." She laughed, and Crabbe and Goyle joined her.

"No, Pansy, I'm a Gryffindor," Draco replied confidently, "And if you don't give me that remembrall right now, I'll hex you." He ignored the jab at his father's attempts to disown him.

At Draco's threat, Pansy stopped laughing and momentarily paled. She sneered at Draco. "Well then, you'd better come get it!" She took her broom and zoomed up into the air.

Draco took his own broom and followed. When it became clear to Pansy that he was the more skilled flier, she grinned maliciously and tossed the remembrall into the air. It plummeted towards the ground. Draco dived after it. He was only feet from the ground when his fingers closed around the ball and he pulled out of the dive.

"Mr. Malfoy!" It was Professor McGonnigal, and she appeared to be shocked beyond words. Finally, she said, "Pansy, you will see me at eight o'clock for detention. Draco, come with me."

* * *

A week later during breakfast, a large, broom-shaped package was brought to the Gryffindor table by a small flock of owls. It was lowered right in front of Draco Malfoy.

"They put him on the quiddich team." Theo whispered. "That's why he wasn't punished. He flew so well they made him seeker."

* * *

Pansy Parkenson was furious. Not only had Draco escaped detention, but he'd been made Gryffindor seeker. He would pay. No blood traitor would make a fool of _her_ and get away with it. She concocted a plan.

* * *

The next day, Pansy left her breakfast to intercept Draco at the entrance of the Great Hall. Harry froze and listened carefully. Theodore did the same.

"Twelve o'clock in the trophy room, then?" Pansy asked Draco. "We'll sort this out the proper way- with a duel."

"Oh, Pansy, I wouldn't _dream_ of missing a chance to hex your ugly face off." Draco smirked.

"See you there, then- that is, if you're not too _scared_."

"Pansy, you're forgetting which of us is in Gryffindor."

Harry glanced at Theodore. They locked eyes, and Harry knew they were thinking the same thing: it wasn't a duel, it was a trap.

* * *

Harry and Theodore sat in the common room, waiting. Pansy had gone to bed at ten o'clock, and now it was quarter to twelve. If she had planned on going to the duel, she would already have left.

"Let's go. Someone's got to tell him." Harry said.

"Harry, we can't. We'll be caught." Theodore protested.

"No, I don't think we will." Harry assured him, holding up his invisibility cloak.

Theodore grinned.

* * *

They arrived at the trophy room to find Draco looking sour. He jumped when they pulled off the cloak.

"Go to bed, Malfoy, Pansy isn't coming." Harry said.

"But- what do you mean- how did you know?" Spluttered Draco.

"We heard her issue the challenge. And honestly, did you really fall for that? No wonder you're in Gryffindor." Theodore smirked.

Before Draco could interrupt again, Harry explained. "It's a trap. She wasn't planning to come. She's probably tipped Filch off that you'll be here."

No sooner than he'd said it, a familiar and well-hated cat rounded the corner.

"Oh no," Harry whispered, "Get under the cloak, quick!" He pulled the cloak over himself and Theodore. Draco hesitated, then joined them as the sound of Filch's footsteps grew louder.

The three boys carefully slipped out of the room and away from Filch. Everything was turning out well, until one of them tripped and they all tumbled onto the floor.

Right before Peeves zoomed around a corner to where they lay, groaning.

The ugly poltergeist cackled gleefully before yelling, "Students out of bed! Catch them if you can, ickle Filchy!"

Harry scooped up his cloak and ran, followed closely by Draco and Theodore. They could hear Filch not far away, trying to get Peeves to tell him where the students had gone. They heard Filch's loud footsteps echoing in the corridors as he pursued them. They ran into a dead end with a locked door. Harry pulled his wand out.

"Alohomora." He muttered. The lock clicked, and the boys slipped through the door and shut it.

As they caught their breath and heard Filch abandon his search, they became aware of their surroundings. More specifically, that right in front of them was an enormous dog.

With three heads.

And it was waking up.

Before the boys ran terrified back to their respective common rooms, Harry noted that the monstrosity was standing on a trapdoor.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, Pansy was furious. Harry watched her silently fuming all day, glaring at Draco whenever they had a class with the Gryffindors. Harry wondered if she was plotting another way to get him into trouble. Pansy, however, made no move against Draco. Hogwarts remained peaceful all the way until hallowe'en.

* * *

They were nearly finished a magnificent feast, when the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, professor Quirrel, ran gasping into the Great hall. The chatter died as Quirrel caught his breath.

"Troll... troll... in... the dungeons..." He panted, before passing out.

Panic broke out. People screamed, and some ran for the door.

"STOP." Commanded the voice of the headmaster. Everyone froze.

"Prefects will escort their houses to their common rooms. Slytherin house will accompany Hufflepuff, as their common room is not currently safe to access. You will exit the great hall in an orderly fashion. Teachers will come with me to deal with the troll. Students may now go."

Harry and Theodore followed the other Slytherins out of the great hall. In the confusion, an older student jostled Theodore, and his pet rat, Nibbles, squeaked and jumped out of his robe pocket. Nibbles scurried away, narrowly avoiding the many stamping feet.

"Nibbles!" Theodore yelled, and pushed through the crowd in the direction Nibbles had gone.

Harry froze, unsure what to do. On one hand, he usually stayed with Theodore as much as possible, but on the other hand, he could be heading straight into danger. Harry remembered the words of the Sorting Hat:

 _"Perhaps, in another life, you would be a natural Gryffindor, and I believe that Slytherin will help you grow into one."_

Cursing under his breath, Harry ran after Theodore.

* * *

The boy's path lead them through many winding corridors and stairways. Finally, Nibbles was caught. Just as Harry and Theodore had caught their breath and were about to rejoin the group, they heard footsteps and froze. If they were caught wandering off now, they would be in trouble. Especially considering where they were, as they realized that right around the corner was the entrance the the forbidden corridor.

"Hello, Quirinus." Came the horribly familiar voice of Professor Snape. "Surely after your, ahem, fainting spell, you ought to be in the hospital wing, not dawdling around restricted areas."

"R-Restricted t-t-to st-tudent-ts, S-Severus." Stuttered Professor Quirrel. "And I am-m d-doing j-just fine."

"Really? Well in that case, shouldn't you be assisting your colleagues? Mountain trolls are very dangerous, and the more wands aimed at them, the safer it is for everybody."

Professor Quirrel had no answer for that, and the two men walked away.

When the footsteps had faded, Theodore turned to Harry and whispered, "What was that about?"

Harry thought for a moment. Then, very slowly, he said, "Well, when we accidentally ran into that corridor, I noticed that the dog was standing on a trapdoor. You don't suppose it's guarding something, and Professor Quirrel tried to steal it while everyone was distracted by the troll?"

Theodore gaped at him. "That makes sense, but... what if it's the other way around? What if Snape let the troll in as a distraction to steal whatever it is, but Quirrel suspected him and got here first?"

"I don't think so. Professor Snape would've got here first then, and Quirrel would've confronted him instead of just stuttering excuses for being where he was." Harry replied.

"That makes sense. I wonder what that dog is guarding though."

"I do too, but we really should be getting back now."

"Oh, yeah."


	13. Chapter 13

The two boys kept a close watch on Professor Quirrel. Though Harry could have imagined it, he was quite certain that the defense teacher was more agitated than he previously had been. After one lesson where his stuttering had reached an all-time high, he strode away quickly after dismissing them early. Harry and Theodore looked at each other, and Harry discreetly revealed a corner of his invisibility cloak. Understanding, Theodore walked towards him, and the boys vanished.

They quickly followed after Quirrel, afraid of losing his trail. They soon stopped outside an unused classroom with it's door slightly ajar. Inside, they heard two voices, one scared and stuttering, the other, high and cold. The sound of it sent a chill down Harry's spine.

"You must act quickly." Said the unfamiliar voice. "Snape suspects you. Of course, he does not know that you are acting on my orders, but it would be unwise to attempt to tell him. Dumbledore is watching you. He would find out."

"I n-need m-m-more t-t-time." Quirrel begged. "I d-don't know h-how t-to get p-past th-the dog-g yet."

"Very well. You know who owns the beast. Find a weakness and exploit it. Then, you will get me that stone as soon as possible. You will succeed." The high voice replied.

"Y-Yes, m-m-master." Quirrel whimpered.

Harry and Theodore shuffled backwards as Quirrel exited the classroom. Though they waited, no one else came through the door. When they peeked into the classroom, it was empty, and there were no other doors leading out of it. Puzzled, they left for their next class.

* * *

The next day at breakfast, Harry was surprised to see a barn owl swoop down to him with a bit of parchment in its beak. It was a note from Hagrid, inviting Harry and Theodore to visit him that evening. After showing Theodore the note, he wrote his reply on the side of the note and gave it to the owl, which took off, scattering eggs on Pansy in the process. She glared at harry, and he shrugged, saying "Not my owl."

When the time came, Harry and Theodore made their way down to Hagrid's hut. He greeted them happily, and they sat down while Hagrid made tea. They told Hagrid about their classes, and he told them about his gamekeeping duties. When the topic turned to the creatures that Hagrid encountered on his job, Harry was struck with an idea. He would have to approach the question carefully.

"So Hagrid," he asked, "you like magical creatures, then?"

"Love 'em. My job, isn't it?"

"What kinds would you say you like best?"

"Bigger, more independent ones, I think."

"Dangerous ones?"

"Yeah, I s'pose you could say that. I would say they could take care of 'emselves, that's all."

"Like a massive dog with three heads?"

Hagrid looked taken aback, and Theodore had a look of dawning comprehension. After a moment, Hagrid said "How de you know 'bout Fluffy?"

"You... named it... Fluffy..." Theodore said weakly.

"So it is yours, then?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, he's mine. But really, he's not that dangerous. All you got to do is play a bit a music, and he'll go right to sleep." Hagrid went pale. "I shouldn't a said that." He muttered.

"Hagrid." Harry said urgently. "Have you told anyone else how to get past that dog?"

"No one but Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid turned whiter still. "Oh, no."

"What?" Harry and Theodore asked at the same time.

"Last night, I met a man down at the pub. He kept buyin' me drinks an' askin' me questions. I think I might've told him something I shouldn't've."

"Now what'll stop Quirrel from stealing the stone?" Theodore asked.

"How do you know 'bout the philosopher's stone?" Hagrid asked.

"We didn't until now. Thanks for telling us what kind of stone it is."

Hagrid was as white as new parchment. "I shouldn't a said that." He growled. "An' what's this about Professor Quirrel?"

Harry spoke in a low voice, though there was no one else around. "Just yesterday we heard someone ordering him to find out how to get past fluffy and to steal the stone. He walked out of the room alone, and there was no one else inside it. Snape suspects him too. When the troll got in, we accidentally overheard Snape ask Quirrel why he was hanging around the third floor corridor."

"I believe you." Said Hagrid. "Bu' this is bad. He was s'posed to help protect the stone. He'll know what all the other protections are." Hagrid let out a sob. "An' now I've gone an' told 'em how to get past fluffy! It was the one thing he didn' know, an' I told 'em!"

Theodore awkwardly patted Hagrid's arm. "It'll be alright. If you tell Professor Dumbledore, he can do something, make new protections."

"He won't be very happy with me."

"He won't be happy if it's stolen either."

"I just can't face him an' tell him I let him down like that."

"Alright, then. It's getting late. Harry and I should be heading back now."

"You go then. Take care, you two."

* * *

When they were back outside, Harry asked Theodore, "What _is_ the philosopher's stone?"

"It's a legendary stone that can turn any metal into gold. It can also be used to make the elixir of life, which makes you immortal. I didn't know one existed, but I can see why Quirrel's after it. Whoever made it either did so recently, or somehow managed to keep it quiet."

With these thoughts and others chasing each other around Harry's head, he went to bed and had troubled dreams.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Since I received two reviews on the subject, I decided to address the issue here as some others might have similar concerns.**

 **One reader told me that Harry doesn't show signs of abuse. This is an easy mistake, as abuse is rarely obvious. Furthermore, it can take days, weeks, months, or even years after leaving an abusive situation before the emotional effects kick in, and you realize how awful the situation was. Some points that were brought up were introversion, trust, bruising, and food. Harry is very introverted, and has no interest in befriending his peers. He doesn't really trust anyone, not even Theodore, who he clings to partially for guidance in the unfamiliar magical world, and partially out of a suppressed need for friendship. As for bruising, enough time passed between his time at the Dursleys and his time at Hogwarts that the bruises would be long faded. Finally, the point of food. Again you must remember that a fair bit of time elapsed before he went to Hogwarts after he left the Dursleys. Though he would've been affected by his three days in the cupboard, his body once again had time to recover before going to Hogwarts.**

 **If anyone has any more _specific_ questions on this issue, feel free to leave a review or PM.**

* * *

The next day's potion's class was a nightmare. Snape was in a particularly sour mood, and Harry knew it from the moment he entered the room. He'd gotten quite good at reading the man since the beginning of term. He almost always knew right away what kind of class it would be. Today would be another "Pick-on-Harry" day, as he'd taken to calling them. He'd have to be extra careful.

As the class worked on brewing the day's potion, Snape stalked about the room, occasionally hovering over a student to inspect their work more closely. He spent a disproportionate amount of time inspecting Harry's work, getting increasingly irritable as he repeatedly failed to find any problems with it. He became so agitated that he took twenty points from Gryffindor when Ron Weasley sneezed.

Though he didn't show it, Harry was very strained during the lesson. He would tense up whenever Snape approached him, and it didn't help that he saw Theodore frown at him on one such occasion. Theodore was easier to be around then some other people in their year, but he had an unnerving knack for noticing Harry's out of place behaviours.

When the end of class finally came, Harry made a move towards to the door, but jerked violently when he felt a hand close around his arm. He whipped around, tense, but it was Theodore. Harry relaxed a bit, but was perplexed. What was he doing?

"Professor Snape." Theodore said. "We need to talk to to you about something."

"What is it?" Snape replied, in a bored, flat voice.

"We know about the philosopher's stone, and we know that Professor Quirrel is trying to steal it." Theodore answered.

Snape looked completely taken aback. "How."

Theodore, with some input from Harry, explained how they'd accidentally overheard Snape and Quirrel's conversation, and the mysterious voice that had spoken to Quirrel in the empty classroom, leaving out Harry's cloak. When they mentioned how the voice had said Snape couldn't be told it's identity, Snape's eyes widened by a minuscule amount. They slightly altered the story, however, to make it seem as though Quirrel had already figured out how to get past the three headed dog.

When they finished their story, there was a long pause. Finally, professor Snape said, "I must see the headmaster at once. What you have told me is troubling. 20 points to Slytherin each for this."

* * *

The two boys discussed the encounter in whispers during supper.

"I think he knows who Quirrel's 'master' is." Theodore said. "I think that's what's got him worried. It must be bad."

"But what if he was faking it?" Harry replied. "The voice implied that Snape would be _helping_ them if he knew who was behind it. You might've picked the worst possible person to tell."

"Weren't you the one all for Snape's innocence before?" Theodore asked.

"Yeah, before we met Quirrel's master." Harry retorted.

"Okay, but consider." Theodore said. "Snape might have already suspected what we told him. Quirrel couldn't have been working alone, it's too big a job for someone like him. If another teacher were in on it, they'd've already succeeded. Maybe Snape's loyalties don't lie where the voice thinks they do."

"Okay, Theodore, maybe you're right. Too late to change what we told him now, anyway." Harry sighed.

"Call me Theo."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I've just started a new story! It's called _Harry Potter, Heir of the House of Black._ The name should tell you something of it. I'm not sure yet how well I can maintain two stories, but we'll see how it goes.**

* * *

Harry was surprised when he realized that it was nearly Christmas break. He'd barely noticed the snow on the ground or the date. Time seemed to have flown right by him. He wondered what he would do during the holiday. He was already ahead in all his subjects, so it would be easy to complete the homework assigned. He'd have a lot of free time. Perhaps he'd spend it in the library. It was humongous, and sure to have plenty of interesting books.

A week before break began, Theo received an owl at breakfast. He took the letter eagerly, and tore it open at once. He read it over, and then passed it to Harry, who read it, and looked at Theodore, confused.

"Why are you showing me your letter?" He asked.

"I was hoping that you would come to my house for the holiday." Theo said. "Unless... you wanted to go home instead?"

"No." Harry replied, quickly. Too quickly. "I just didn't expect to be invited to your house."

"Is that a yes?"

"Sure. I haven't been to a magical house before."

This caused Theodore to pause. "Really? Never?"

"No, I was raised by muggles."

"Why? How come you weren't raised by a wizarding family after your parents..." Theo blushed and

trailed off.

"They're my aunt and uncle." Harry said flatly.

"Really? But Potter is an old wizarding family, so your mother must have been muggleborn."

"I guess so. My aunt was her sister."

"Then your mom was muggleborn. Unless your aunt is secretly a squib..."

"What's a squib?" Harry asked.

Theo launched into lengthy explanation of blood status classification and terminology. When he was finished, Harry thought for a moment.

"I don't think she's a squib. If she had been raised in a magical household, she wouldn't be married to someone who hates magic."

"Your uncle hates magic?"

"Passionately."

"He didn't treat you badly, did he?"

Harry froze. How could he avoid this question? He'd have to outright lie to Theo, but though he didn't want to tell the truth, he didn't want to lie to Theo either. A bit too late to be believable, he answered, "No, my aunt wouldn't let him. She doesn't hate magic enough to do that." This was not remotely true, but Theo didn't know that. Still, Harry felt guilty. He repressed the feeling. What was wrong with him?

* * *

As predicted, the homework load for the break was light, and nonexistent in several classes. Snape, of course, gave the most work, expecting an essay on their latest potion. However, all the other assignments were small. Harry packed his clothes, ink, parchment, and potions book into his bag, leaving the rest of his things behind in his trunk. Fastening his cloak, Harry followed Theo out of their room and out into the dungeons.

Along the way, they heard some commotion down another corridor. It sounded as though spells were being fired. They cautiously approched the source of the disturbance, and found Crabbe and Goyle duelling Draco Malfoy. Malfoy seemed to be holding out, but they were driving him into a dead end. Crabbe and Goyle were shouting insults at Malfoy, primarily 'Blood Traitor!'. After a moment of shock, Harry and Theodore drew their wands and stunned Malfoy's assailants.

"I really owe you guys, don't I?" Malfoy said, wearily.

Ignoring him, Harry turned to Theo and said, "This really complicates things once we get back. We share a room with those gits."

Theo shrugged. "They didn't see us, and I doubt they'll remember what just happened well enough to recognize our voices."

"Fair enough." Harry replied.

"And, yes, Malfoy, you do owe us." Theo added. "Are you taking the train to London?"

"That's where I was headed when those two found me." Draco replied, nodding towards his unconscious attackers.

"Why don't you com with us?" Theo offered. "We were just on our way."

"That would be good." Malfoy replied.


	16. Chapter 16

When Harry stepped off of the Hogwarts express that evening, he wasn't sure what to expect. The platform was just as crowded as it had been in September, but the atmosphere was considerably more relaxed. Though there was much excitement as families were reunited, there was no rush.

Harry followed Theo out into the crowd. They squeezed their way through the throng until they reached a couple who must have been Theo's parents. They hugged their son, then turned to Harry.

"What's your name?" Theo's mother asked kindly.

"Harry." Harry replied.

"And your last name?" She inquired.

Harry's stomach clenched. He hadn't had to deal with his fame at Hogwarts, because the other students quickly realized that he wasn't that interesting. But he couldn't see any way around the question, because Theo was there and he would probably tell them if Harry didn't. "Potter." He answered.

Theo's mother looked very surprised, but to her credit, she acted as though it was typical for her son to invite over child celebrities. "Well, Harry, let's not stand around too long. It's already dark out. Take my hand, now, and hold on very tightly." She said.

Confused, Harry did as instructed, and saw Theo do the same with his father. A moment later, Harry had the sensation of being crammed into a very tight space. It lasted for only a few seconds, then the pressure was gone and he was standing before a very large house. He gazed up at it, awestruck, until his thoughts were interrupted by Theo's mom.

"Come on in, Harry. If we stand out here much longer, supper will be cold."

Harry followed her inside.

* * *

After the large supper that rivalled the food at Hogwarts, Harry and Theodore went upstairs, where Theo's room had a cot set up for Harry. As it was late, it wasn't long before the boys fell asleep. Theo's parents, however, sat at the table sipping wine for a long while, before the silence was interrupted by a blazing fire springing up out of the hearth.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Nott." Albus Dumbledore greeted them, stepping out of the flames. "Mind if I have a word?"

"Not at all, headmaster." Mr. Nott replied. "Please, please, take a seat."

"I've come to talk to you about Harry." Dumbledore said.

"What about him?" Mrs. Nott inquired.

"What is your impression of the boy?" Dumbledore asked

"He seems timid, but good natured. Why do you ask?" Mrs. Nott replied.

"When Lily and James died, I placed Harry under the care of his muggle aunt and uncle, believing it to be the safest place for him." Dumbledore began. "However, this proved to be a mistake. His treatment by them is unacceptable, and I hope to find a wizarding family to take him in before the summer starts."

"So what you're saying is, 'would you be willing to adopt Harry'." Mr. Nott said.

"Well... yes, it is." Dumbledore replied. "However, I would not ask you to make a final decision in this matter this soon. I mearly hope that you will consider it, and choose one way or the other by the end of the Easter holiday. I will also be contacting the Weasleys on this matter, but if you should both accept, Harry will be sent here. His friendship with your son is much stronger than with the Weasley boy."

"Will that be all, headmaster?" Mrs. Nott asked. Dumbledore knew that what she ment was "Leave us to discuss this."

"Yes, I think it will." Dumbledore replied obligingly, and with that, he walked to the fireplace and flooed himself back to Hogwarts.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I am working to improve my writing skills. If there's anything about my writing you think could be better, please leave a review and let me know. Thank you.**

* * *

Harry greatly enjoyed his time in the Nott household. In a warmer season he and Theo might have gone outside flying, but as it was they found ways to spend their time indoors. They decided to take care of their homework first, and with that out of the way they were free to pursue other endeavours.

Theo introduced Harry to wizards' chess, exploding snap, and a variety of other wizarding games. Wizards' chess was different from muggle chess only in that the pieces moved themselves when told and had a tendency to destroy other pieces upon capturing them. Harry had never played any kind of chess before, and surprised himself by being rather good at it, though not as good as Theo.

Late on Christmas Eve, the two boys were playing another round of chess which Harry was winning. Theo sat across the chessboard from him, mind swirling with confused thoughts that had nothing to do with chess. Finally, he sighed and looked up at his opponent.

"Harry," he said, "tell me the truth. How do your relatives actually treat you?"

"Why do you ask?" Harry replied in what he hoped was a casual way. Why was lying _about_ his relative so much harder than lying _to_ them?

"Harry, I'm not in Slytherin for nothing. I notice things. Like how you inhale your food as if it might be taken off your plate at any moment. And how you jump at any unexpected sound or touch. And how you rarely interact with anyone other than me, instead you study them from across the room as though they're wild animals that will attack if you get too close. And how you creep around as if you were sneaking out at night, no matter what time it is or who's around. Harry, I've noticed. You can't fool me."

Harry didn't say anything for several minutes. They sat in silence until Harry said, "They hate me and I have no idea why they even kept me in their house. They don't want me there."

"Harry, what did they do?" Theo pressed.

"Would you like the list in chronological or alphabetical order?" Harry replied sarcastically.

"Doesn't matter."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Well, uhh, my uncle beats me whenever I do accidental magic, and-"

"He _what_?"

Harry opened his eyes "He beats me." He repeated. _Why did I tell him that?_

Theo was completely lost for words. He opened his mouth and closed it several times, then asked "what else?"

Harry looked away. "Umm, all my clothes other than school robes are my cousins cast offs, which are too big." _He doesn't need to know._

Theo looked like he was going to be sick. "And?"

"They barely feed me, and anything I don't finish in five minutes is stolen by my cousin." _I should just shut up now._ "They always yell at me and call me a worthless freak." _No no no stop talking stop talking._ "My bedroom is the cupboard under the stairs, and I was beaten and locked there for three days without food or water when my Hogwarts letter came." _Why can't I stop?_ "The only reason I got out at all is that Hagrid came and tore the door off of it. It was nailed shut." _Now it's too late. He knows everything._

"Uhh... Harry?"

"What?"

"Are you okay? You were staring at the wall for two minutes."

"Oh. Was I?"

"Yeah, you were. Uhh... Harry, are you going back to your aunt and uncle this summer?"

"No, the headmaster said he would find a wizard family to take me in by the end of the year."

Theo breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. Let me know if he doesn't, I'll see if you could come over for the summer. You can't go back there."

"Theo?"

"Yeah?"

"Checkmate."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I'm considering starting a new story soon, and I have three potential ideas for it. If you like my stories, check out my profile. There is a poll there, so you can vote for the idea you like most.**

 **Also, as before, I am open to constructive criticism of my writing. Please leave a review if you think there's something I could be doing better. Thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

Harry was woken by the sound of footsteps. For a moment, he forgot where he was, and he instinctively drew himself into the corner. Then, he noticed how light the footsteps were and was relieved. They were too light to be Uncle Vernon's or Dudley's, or even Aunt Petunia's. He was at Theo's house, and it was-

"Get up Harry! It's Christmas!"

-no later than four in the morning. Groaning, Harry pulled himself out of bed. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw Theo standing by the door, waiting for him.

"Come on, Harry! Let's go open our presents!"

Harry blinked in the darkness. " _Our_ presents?"

"Yes, you got presents too! Now let's go!"

"But I didn't get you guys anything."

"That's ok, we have a lot of extended family, we don't need more. Let's go!"

"Sorry, it's just- I've never had presents before."

"Well now you have, so let's go and open them!"

They made their way downstairs to see a humongous Christmas tree in the middle of the sitting room. Just looking at it, Harry guessed that there were at least two of Dudley's birthdays worth of presents. Sitting on the couch across the room were Theo's parents.

Theo's mother looked at Harry and smiled "Wow, you managed to make Theo five minutes late. That's impressive. This is the first time in seven years he wasn't here before four."

Theo's father leapt to his feet. "I'll pass out the gifts. You can get the first one, Harry, since you're our guest here."

Harry accepted the package that was handed to him. He ran his hand over it, feeling the softness of its contents and hearing the wrapping crinkle. He found the edge of the wrapping and tore it open to find a sweater the exact shade of green as his eyes, with a silvery pattern on it. It was soft and thick. He pulled it on over his pyjamas.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Nott." Harry said awkwardly.

Mrs. Nott laughed. "It's our pleasure, Harry. We're happy to have you here."

Mr. Nott held up a large package and shook it. "Theo, this one's for you!"

* * *

Two hours and a horrifying amount of wrapping paper later, all of the gifts were opened. Harry could not believe the sheer volume of presents he had received. After the sweater, he had opened a heavy box that turned out to be a book series from Theo. Harry was quite interested to see the stories that magical people read and wrote. Reading had been one of his main pastimes at muggle school. Then he'd opened some boxes of assorted sweets, most of which he was unfamiliar with. Then he found a second book series from Theo, who'd clearly noticed the amount of time Harry spent at the library. More sweets, some magical games, and another book set followed.

"Just a moment everyone, there's still something left here." Mr. Nott announced. Theo and Harry looked at him curiously. Mr. Nott waved his wand over part of the tree, and and envelope appeared there, nestled into the branches. He took it and gave it to Harry. "Go on, open it." He urged.

Harry carefully tore open the envelope and drew out a thick sheet of parchment. He read it to himself:

* * *

 _Harry:_

 _When you arrived here, we were asked to consider something._

 _We were asked if we would take you into our home, and become your family._

 _We were given until the end of Easter to decide._

 _We have decided now._

 _The only question remaining is, will you have us?_

* * *

Harry stared at the letter for several minutes, unable to comprehend what was plainly written in front of him. The silence was interrupted by Mrs. Nott.

"Well, Harry?"

Harry's hands began to shake. For a moment he stood there, then he slowly nodded. Then, to his own horror, he burst into tears.

Theo was the first to reach him. He wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him close and squeezing him tightly. Theo's parents came, and hugged Harry and Theo from either side.

"It's okay, Harry." Mrs. Nott whispered soothingly. "You're safe now."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Yes, I finally dedicated myself to a regular update schedule!**

 **Reminder that I have a poll open on my profile page for my next writing project, so head over there if you want to help me decide what to write.**

 **Again, I am working to improve my writing, so any constructive criticism of my work is appreciated.**

 **Thank you and enjoy! This chapter came out longer than most of the others.**

* * *

Harry, Theo, and Theo's parents- were they Harry's parents too now?- arrived at king's cross station at 10:30 am and crossed the barrier to platform 9 & 3/4. They hugged Harry and Theo goodbye, then passed over their trollies. Side by side, the two boys crossed the platform and boarded the train. They found the compartment at the very back empty, so they settled themselves there. Within ten minutes, Draco poked his head into the compartment.

"Is it alright if I sit in here?" He asked.

"Sure." Harry and Theo replied at the same time.

Draco pulled his trunk up onto the luggage rack and collapsed onto the seat. The dark circles under his eyes stood out clearly against his pale skin.

"Woah, Draco. What happened to you?"

Draco grimaced. "He's still not happy about my being in Gryffindor, but I think he was willing to let that go if it weren't for the letters Pansy sent her father about me. Her dad showed them to my dad, and he's angry that I've decided to be a decent person. Or, in his words, 'a blood traitor.' He likes yelling, so I haven't slept very well."

"Not happy to let you be your own person and make decisions for yourself?" Theo asked.

Draco snorted at that. "He is, as long as he can also let me know what he thinks of those decisions."

Theo shrugged. "Either way it sucks."

Draco looked at Harry. "By the way, I don't think I ever thanked you guys for helping me when Pansy challenged me to that fake duel. So, thanks for helping me. Not sure why you did though."

Harry and Theo looked at each other. Harry was the one who spoke up.

"I don't think we really know either." He said.

Draco had a strange look on his face, as though he were trying to remember something that had happened a long time ago. "My memory of what happened after we started running is all confused. Am I remembering correctly, or did we not go into the forbidden corridor and see a dog with three heads?"

"Unfortunately, you do remember correctly." Theo replied.

"What was even up with that? Why the hell was _that_ in a _school_? Is it still there?" Draco asked.

Harry and Theo looked at each other again.

After a moment, Theo asked Harry, "should we tell him?"

"Tell me what?" Draco cut in before Harry could answer.

"Yes, I think so." Harry replied a moment later.

"Okay then." Theo said. "Draco, that dog is in the school guarding the philosopher's stone."

Draco stared at Theo disbelievingly for several minutes. Finally, he replied. "You're... not joking. You're actually, seriously telling me that a philosopher's stone currently exists and is at Hogwarts."

"Yup, that's what I'm telling you."

Draco shook his head. "You're absolutely sure about this?"

Harry and Theo told Draco told Draco everything they had discovered, from how they had discovered it to Quirrel's involvement. By the time they had finished relaying Quirrel's conversation with his unseen master, Draco had turned even paler than he usually was, and looked like he was going to be sick.

"Well, I think I know who Quirrel's master is." Draco said.

Harry looked up at him. "Who is it?"

Draco took a deep breath. "I think... I think it's Vo-Voldemort." It seemed as though getting the words out was difficult.

"I thought he was supposed to be dead." Theo replied.

"Well, I don't think he is." Draco countered. "He denies it to the ministry, but behind closed doors my father is a death eater. He always told me that the dark lord would return, that he had taken some unknown steps to make himself immortal. His body may have been destroyed, but he may still live... to some extent."

"Hold up." Harry interjected. "That voice said that if Snape knew who he was, he'd be helping. Are you accusing him of being a death eater?"

"Not accusing, Harry. He is, or was. I heard a bit about the mess from my father. No one actually knows who's side he was on. He was a death eater almost to the end of the war, but Dumbledore is convinced he changed his loyalties. V-Voldemort thinks that Snape pretended to change sides to get close to Dumbledore and take him out. They seem to be the only ones who feel certain. Nobody else really trusts him, because whichever one is true, he has to be a very good liar."

Theo gave a low whistle. "Well, _this_ is a mess."

The gears in Harry's mind were turning. And they suddenly ground to a halt as the realization hit him.

"Have either of you thought of _why_ Voldemort would want the stone? Think for a moment: He's obsessed with becoming immortal, he's barely alive, and it sounds like he's possessing someone in a school that contains a stone that makes a potion of some kind that makes whoever drinks it live longer. He thinks that if he gets the stone, it will return him to his former power."

Theo and Draco stared at him open mouthed. Theo found his words first.

"Dumbledore needs to hear this. We can't be sure Snape actually told him anything."

Draco looked between Harry and Theo. "So, uhh, just one question. Are we friends now, or what's going on?"

"I guess so." Theo replied. "On a lighter note, guess what happened? My family is adopting Harry!"

Harry looked out the window. It was only then that he realized that they had been moving for some time.

"That's great." Draco said. He sounded like he really meant it.

Thee was sound from outside their compartment. The door opened to reveal Pansy Parkinson. She had clearly expected to catch Draco alone, because after locking eyes with Harry, then Theo, she backed out and shut the door.

"Ah, yes. Hogwarts school of cowardly harassment." Draco muttered. Harry and Theo laughed. As strange as their problems and annoying as their classmates were, Hogwarts was a good place to be.


	20. Chapter 20

Harry and Theo were happy to be back at school. They were bored at home, unable to use magic.

Professor McGonagall called attendance "Nott?" she called.

Both Theo and harry raised their hands "Here!"

Everyone turned to look at the two in confusion. "Pardon?" McGonagall asked.

Theo grinned "you see, my-Our parents adopted Harry over the Christmas break."

"Oh." Professor McGonagall checked the attendance list. Sure enough, Harry's name was now Harry James Nott.

The rest of their classes had similar reactions to the news that harry had been adopted. "It's gonna take everyone some time to get used to it." Theo said as the brothers walked towards the library.

Harry was soon bored of homework, and found a volume on dog breeds. He flipped through it idly, until a dog caught his eye. It was a German shepherd, all black with green eyes. He stared at it for a while, until Theo leaned over to see what he was looking at. Then, the boys looked at each other.

"I want one." They both said.

Theo grinned. "We can ask mom and dad when we get home."

* * *

Theo and Harry were walking back to the Slytherin common room. Theo was laughing about the reactions that Harry being adopted had caused. "Did you see Pansy's face? Now she'll have to deal with _both_ of us this summer!"

Harry gave Theo a questioning look. "This summer?"

Theo nodded. "Yeah, a bunch of mum and dad's friends spend a week at our house with their kids. Pansy's there the most. I've never liked her."

Harry burst out laughing. "This is going to be glorious." Then he paused. "So why do they come over?"

Theo shrugged. "They're all purebloods, so we're all like… distant cousins." He paused. "It's really disgusting now that I think about it… yeah, I'm definitely not marrying any purebloods. Nope." This caused Harry to laugh. Theo rolled his eyes with a grin "Ah, we're here!"

They entered the common room and headed up to the dorm. On Harry's bed was a letter. He picked it up, but when he saw who it was from, he dropped it like it was a deadly snake.

Theo noticed and looked up in confusion. "Harry? What is it?"

Harry just stared at the letter.

Theo walked over and picked up the letter. A scowl formed on his face, and his free hand clenched into a fist. "What the hell?" He whispered and looked at Harry. "Do you want to read it, or should I just get rid of it?"

Harry, who had gone very pale, looked at Theo. "Can you read it?"

Theo nodded and opened the letter. He began to read:

* * *

Hi Harry,

You probably don't want to hear from me. I guess I can't blame you. We treated you terribly and you didn't deserve it. I honestly think that if it hadn't been for mum and dad, we may have gotten along. It's no excuse, I know.

Mom and Dad are in jail, so is Aunt Marge. I'm in a foster home now. I don't expect you to forgive me, and I know that I don't deserve it. But I AM sorry.

See you, maybe?

Dudley

* * *

Harry had moved over to Theos side as he read the letter. "hes sorry." Harry whispered, taking the letter from Theo.

"So this Dudley, he's…"

"My cousin." Harry said. "Looks like he's better off now too." Harry stood and grabbed the camera that Theo had brought to school. "Theo, come here." He said. Confused, Theo came and sat beside Harry. Harry held up the camera. "Smile!"

Theo looked confused as harry took the picture and grabbed some parchment. "What are you doing?"

"I'm writing to Dudley." Harry replied, as though it was obvious.

Theo laughed in amazement. "You're really gonna write to him after how he treated you?"

Harry shrugged. "His parents made him act that way, and he's sorry."

Theo sighed. "You have countless new adoptive realatives. Why don't you write to one of them? Someone who didn't hurt you?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know them. I think I'll just show up at family gatherings and surprise them."

Theo sighed. "Alright then. I'm gonna go get some chocolate, you want any?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great."

Theo left the room. Harry turned his attention back to the parchment and began to write:

Hi Dudley…


	21. Author's note

**So here I am, I know that I haven't updated this in four months, but I haven't forgotten about this story. I'm feeling pretty stuck right now, and honestly I'm not happy with my work so far. Before continuing this story, I'm going to go back and rewrite the whole thing. Any and all constructive feedback, especially criticism, is welcome. Anything you think I could've done better, I want to know. Except that I forgot Blaise, I have already been made aware of that. Thank you to the (currently) 189 people who care about this story, your support means a lot to me.**


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